Well pumping apparatus



HIHII July 2 1935.

ELM

E. FREEMAN 2,006,592

WELL PUMPING APPARATUS I 2 SheetF-Sheet 1 IE1 E5. 2. Fi .5.! r; 1

Filed NOV 10, 1934 fieeman INVENTOR July 2, 1935. E. FREEMAN WELL PUMPING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed'Nov. 10, 1954 .E'aF/e freeman INVENTOR 55 of non-ferrous material whose lower end is incally in Figure 5. Electric power from theline 29 Patented July 2, 1935 g H v I UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE I WELL fifirmiws Earle Freeman, Dallas, Tex. Application November 10, 1934, Serial No. 7523i 6 Claims. (01. 103-40) This invention relates to well pumping appateriorly threaded to receive the lower valve casratus and it has particular reference to a stage ing or plug 2, thelatter being likewise comprised lift pump. V of non-ferrous material. Both'the shell I and The principal object of the invention is to pro.- the plug 2 are formed to embrace steel inserts 3 5 vide in a pumping apparatus, a plurality of fluid which are interiorly threaded-to receive the tub- 5 elevating units collectively operated by a source ing-l.

of electrical energy at the surface, and wherein The plug 2 has a liquid passage '5 there'through each of the units is subjected to only a portion in the base of which reposes avalve cage 6 conof the total fluid head. taining a ball valve 1. Below the valve I there Another object of the invention is to provide is a depending tubular member 8 terminating at 10 for the release of gas below each unit level therea point below an opening 9 in the tubing 4 immeby to prevent the gas from interfering withthe diately below the unit. Further reference to this continuous delivery of liquid by the pumping important feature will be made presently. assembly. 1 In the upper part of the shell I is a valve seat 16 Yet another object of the invention is to proin, to which is threadably connected a cage ll vide in one form, a pumping unit wherein the in which there is a ball I 2.

pumping element is itself electromagnetically The principal elements of the pumping mechaactuated. v v shown'in Figure lrepose within the shell 1, With the foregoing objects as paramount, the and are comprised of a lifting coil I 3, a down 20 invention has particular reference to its salient stroke wil ie-11 a r ipr p n features of construction and arrangement of armature i5, whi h i Provided W a central parts which will become manifest as the descripp n I6 88 h Wn- Withinihe p r tion proceeds, taken in connection with the acthere r p a V ve comprised f a cage and companying drawings, wherein:- Y ball IS. The plunger i5 reciprocatw within a Figure 1 is a vertical section through one of non-ferrous sleeve l9 and is provided with a 25 the units embodying one form of pumping ele- S dV a and a pl i y of nw y extending ment. passageways b which communicate with the cen- Figure 2 is an elevational view partly in sectral opening l6, thereby insuring the removal tion showing the manner in which current is of sand from around the plunger I5.

supplied to a unit Current for energizing the coil I3 is supplied 30 Figure 3 is a continuation of Figure 2 showing to the unit through insulated lead wires 20, which the bottom of the assembly. enter the unit through packing glands 2|, while Figure 4 is a plan view of the unit shown in 'the coil ll issupplied wi current h u h Wir Figure 1. 22 which enter through packing glands 23 as Figure 5 is a diagrammatic showing of the shown in Figure 4., It will be understood that electric circuits for supplying current to the form current is supplied-altemately to the coil l3 and of the invention shown in Figure 1. 1 the coil l4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a commutator It will be noted in Figure 1 that'the unit is'so employed in the distribution of current to the designed that when the coil I 3 is energized, the 40 several pumping units. plunger I5 is drawn upward by solenoid action Figure '7 is a sectional view of an adjacent and also by the direct magnetic pull of the iron commutator. stop 24 upon the plunger. Tlhe plunger and stop Figure 8 is an elevation in vertical section of are best shaped as shown in Figure 1, since a another form of the invention. plunger travel of twice the air gap may thus be Figure 9 is an elevationa view partly in secobtained, thereby minimizing the reluctance of 45 I tion of one of the units em odying the structure the magnetic path between the stop and the shown in Figure 8. plunger IS. The magnet I3 is provided with an Figure 10 is a continuation of Figure 9, and iron casing 25, which forms a path of low reluc- Figure 11 is a wiring diagram showing the tance for the flux.

manner for supplying current to the units such The call It is spaced apart from the coil l3 by as shown in Figure 8. a non-ferrous washer 26, and is also provided with Continuing with a more detailed description a ferrous casing 21 and a stop28.

of the drawings, reference is primarily made to One method of supplying current to the coils Figure 1 in which I designates a shell or casing I3 and H alternately is illustrated diagrammatiserves to drive a motor 30 which is connected to a direct current generator 3 I. The rate at which current alternates between the coils l3 and the coils M of the various units is controlled by a speed changer 32 through which a commutator assembly is driven. This assembly is comprised of a. commutator 33, shown in Figure 6, a commutator 34 shown in Figure 7, and a pair of slip rings 35, all suitably mounted upon a shaft and insulated from each other and from the shaft. The commutator 33 is comprised of a relatively large conducting segment 36, while the commutator 34 is provided with a smaller conducting segment 3! This arrangement allows the coils i3 to be energized for longer periods of time than the coils I4, since the coils l3 furnish the pull for the lifting stroke. It will be observed from Figure 5 that the coils l3 of the various units are in parallel, as are the coils l4, current being supplied thereto through lead wires 33. Thus current from the direct current generator 38 first ener; gizes all the coils l3 through the commutator 33 and wire 39, the return path being through wire 40 and one of the slip rings 35. Subsequently .the coils l4 are energized for a shorter period of time through commutator 34 and wire 4|, the.

return being through wire 42, after which the cycle is repeated.

In operation, liquid enters a plurality of holes 43 in the pipe 44 and rises under its own head within the pipe 4 and into the deepest pumping unit through pipe 8, any gas within the pipe 4 being free to escape through the opening 9. In order to insure priming, the deepest unit of the system is kept below the fluid level in the well, and

- to insure eflicient operation the various units are arranged to have substantially the same capacity.

Referring to Figure 1, when the coil I3 is energized the plunger I5 is drawn upward by solenoid action and by the magnetic pull between the stop 24 andthe plunger. The ball it within the cage l1 remains seated, and fluid above the plunger is forced upward. During this upward stroke both the upper ball I! and the lower ball I are raised from their seats within their respective cages by fluid pressure. Subsequently, when the coil I4 is energized, the plunger I5 is drawn downwardly, during which time the plunger ball I8 is raised from its seat and the balls I} and I are seated. As the cycle is repeated fluid is forced upward within the tubing 4.

It is pointed out that because of the limited space within a well, it is virtually impossible to place a single large unit of the type described at the bottom of the hole except in the shallowest of wells, due to the fluid head imposed upon the working element. With the arrangement herein described a plurality of units are arranged at spaced intervals along the tubing, and each unit is subjected to only a fraction of the total fluid head within the well, since the openings 3 in the tubing 4 limit the fluid head on each unit to that existing between that unit and the unit directly above.

Figures 8 to 11 inclusive illustrate a modifled form of the invention. In this form electrically driven centrifugal pumps are employed as fluid lifting means, the fluid being elevated by stages along the length of the tubing.

Referring to Figure 8, 45 denotes a housing for an electric motor 46 which is supplied with current through wires 41 which enter the housing 45 through packing glands 43. A ball valve 49 is disposed within a. cage 54 which is threaded within the upper part of the housing 45. A section of tubing 5| is likewise threaded within the housing 45.

The impeller 52 of the centrifugal pump nearest the motor 45 is keyed to a shaft 53, which is connected to the motor shaft 54 through a coupling 55. The-impeller 52 is disposed within a housing 58 which is threadedly connected to the motor housing 45 through a coupling 51. The housing 56 has integral therewith a plurality oi? deflecting vanes 58 which serve to direct fluid from the impeller 52 upward around the motor 6 and into the space 59.

Fluid pressure serves to lift the valve 49 from its seat within the cage 50, and the fluid is free to pass upward into the tubing 5!.

A housing 59 is secured to the housing 55, and has integral therewith deflecting vanes so, which serve to direct fluid from an impeller ti upward into the impeller 52. While this form of pumping apparatus has been illustrated with two impellers upon the shaft 53 it is obvious that any number may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A valve housing 62 is connected to the pump housing 59 and serves to encase a valve cage 63 within which a ball valve 84 is disposed. A pipe 65 serves as a passageway for fluid from the tubing 68 to the units thereabove. This pipe extends downward to a point below a hole 61 in the tubing 56.

In operation, liquid enters a plurality of holes 68 in the pipe 69 and rises under its own head into the deepest of'the pumping units, this unit being always immersed in the liquid.

The liquid is forced to the surface by the centrifugal force of the impellers but each of the units along the string of tubing is subject to only its fractional share of the total fluid head, due to the arrangement of the pipes below the units and the holes in the tubing. The various motors 48 are connected in parallel and are driven from a source II as shown in Figure 11.

Manifestly, theconstruction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modiflcation as is considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pumping apparatus for wells including a tubing within the well, a plurality of pumping units at spaced intervals along said tubing. Sold tubing having a liquid overflow below and adiacent to each of said pumping units, said units arranged to operate in series; each of said units being arranged to deliver liquid to the unit thereabove and each of said units being provided with a pump pick-'up within said tubing, said pick-up terminating at a point below the liquid overflow of the adjacent lower unit.

2. A pumping apparatus for wells including a tubing within the well, individually driven pumping units at spaced intervals along said tubing, said tubing having a liquid outlet below and adjacent to each of said pumping units, said units arranged to operate in series: each of said units being arranged to deliver liquid to the adjacent higher unit, and each of said units provided with an intake pipe within said tubing, said pipe terminating at a point below the liquid outlet of the adjacent lower unit.

3. A pumping apparatus for wells including a tubing within the well, magnetically actuated pumping units at spaced intervals along said tubing. said tubing having-a liquid overflow below each of said pumping units, said units ar- 74 ranged to operate in series, each of said units being arranged to deliver liquid to the adjacent higher unit, and each of said units provided with a liquid intake, said intake extending within said tubing below the adjacent liquid overflow.

4. A well pump including a tubing, individually driven and electromagnetically actuated pumping units at spaced intervals along said tubing, said tubing having a liquid overflow below each of said pumping units, said units arranged to 0perate in series, each of said units being arranged to deliver liquid to the adjacent high unit, and each of said units provided with a liquid intake extending within said tubing below the adjacent liquid overflow. I

5. A pumping;1 apparatus for wells including a tubing within t e well, a plurality of centrifugal pumping units at spaced intervals along said tubing, said tubing having a liquid overflow below each of said pumping units, said units arranged to operate in series, each unit delivering liquid to the unit thereabove and each of said units provided with a liquid intake extending within said tubing below the adjacent liquid overflow.

6. A pumping apparatus for wells including a tubing within said well, individually driven centriiugal pumping units at spaced intervals along said tubing, said tubing provided with a liquid overflow adjacent to and below each of said pumping units, whereby to subject each of said units to a fractional part of the total fluid head and to exclude gas from each of said units, said units being arranged to operate in series, each unit delivering liquid to the unit thereabove, and each of saidunits provided with a liquid intake extending within said tubing and temiinating below the adjacent liquid overflow.

. EARLE FREEMAN. 

